logistics industry

While Supply Chain Manager doesn’t typically make the top ten list of answers to “what do you want to be when you grow up” there is something to be said for positions in the logistics industry. Especially the salary. And when it comes to deciding on a career path, a heavy paycheck can go a long way towards attracting new talent.

According to the APICS’s premier annual survey, there is a very bright future for people working in the supply chain industry with both increases in pay as well as high levels of job satisfaction across the profession.

The survey revealed that in 2017, the average salary for supply chain professionals was $85,210. 90 percent of those surveyed said their raises were at least 3 percent. What’s more is that nearly all of the respondents said they were very happy with their professions and likely to stay with the supply chain industry.

“The data revealed in this report show that supply chain careers represent a fulfilling, dynamic and rewarding long-term career choice for professionals,” said APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE.

We foresee that this success will continue as supply chain professionals continue to become a more integral part of the overall business strategy.

“We’re excited to see that our members are well-compensated and continuing to advance in their careers. We foresee that this success will continue as supply chain professionals continue to become a more integral part of the overall business strategy,” Eshkenazi added.

The Path to Success: Education

Education plays a vital role in the salaries of supply chain professionals.

One of the biggest takeaways from the survey is that education plays a vital role in the salaries of supply chain professionals. According to the survey, even so much as one certification could lead to a 19 percent increase in pay over peers without any certifications. Beyond that, having 2 or 3 certifications means a pay increase of 39 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Those respondents who had earned an APICS certification reported a median salary that was 27 percent higher than those without any certifications. Additionally the education, unsurprisingly, play a part in continuing the career. Even with the same level of tenure, the results of the survey show that more education in the field results in better pay and more chances for advancement.

A Need For Talent

The pay alone makes the supply chain industry an appealing field for those who are deciding on their career path. Given the high levels of job satisfaction, an average of 8.4 out of 10 according to survey responses, it’s likely that we’ll see even more graduates coming out with degrees related to logistics and supply chain management.

The industry needs new talents, given the rate that the supply chain is growing and changing.

Which is a very good thing, as the industry needs new talents, given the rate that the supply chain is growing and changing. While tenure is still essential, experience trumps many other attributes regardless of the industry, there’s still a noticeable difference in pay for those with a degree in supply chain matters. Graduates with less than one year of experience are seeing a slightly higher level of pay than those with 1-3 years of experience. While this might be a move to help entice new people into the industry, it’s still an interesting side note.

Those willing to take on the responsibility of a leadership role can expect even more jump in pay grade. Supervising a group of at least 50 individuals has reported a base salary that is 82 percent higher than those who do not manage. Even managing as few as 1 to 4 people will see a 13 percent increase.

A Promising Future

Given the levels of technological advancement that many industries are undergoing at this time, it’s important to consider the future of the supply chain industry as well as its longevity. Many jobs and careers are on the verge of becoming automated. While this does much for their respective industries, it does make deciding what career path to take a little more difficult. The supply chain and logistics sectors are prime examples of this technological revolution, with much of the industry being automated and digitized.

There will always be a need for a human element within the industry, perhaps even more so with the deluge of automated processes being added on a near-daily basis.

Yet even with these changes being made, there will always be a need for a human element within the industry, perhaps even more so with the deluge of automated processes being added on a near-daily basis. Certified talent with a more up-to-date education will be vital for the industry which might be part of the reason why so many companies are upping the ante with higher pay, student loan assistance, and other incentives.

Do You Want To Advance Your Career In Logistics?

At BlueGrace, we’re growing at an impressive rate. We’re looking for logistics professionals in most of our offices across the country. If you would like to advance your current logistics career or start a new career in this fast growing industry, click the link below to access our list of available positions:

CHICAGO,ILLINOIS — Mayor Rahm Emanuel today joined BlueGrace Logistics, a nationwide third-party logistics (3PL) provider, to announce the company is opening an office in downtown Chicago. BlueGrace plans to add 80 jobs at its new location in the iconic Chicago Board of Trade Building. The new office will open July 9, 2018 and support the continued strong growth BlueGrace has accomplished since its launch nine years ago.

“Innovative businesses choose to grow and invest in Chicago because they recognize the unparalleled strength of the city’s talent and transportation networks,” Mayor Emanuel said. “BlueGrace Logistics is a welcome addition to the city’s innovation ecosystem and I look forward to watching them thrive in their new home in the city of Chicago.”

“The unique layout of the existing office fits the BlueGrace culture of high energy and pursuing outrageous goals.” said Bobby Harris, President and CEO. “The Midwest area is rich with young, college-educated talent, and Chicago is already an elite spot for the logistics industry. The proximity of public transportation and all of the other amenities of downtown Chicago alongside this location made this an easy and logical choice for our business growth strategy to recruit, hire, and train the best and brightest young talent available.”

Mark Ford, COO of BlueGrace Logistics, who will manage the employees in the downtown Chicago office, commented: “As complexity increases, more companies are turning to 3PL’s for their industry expertise and ability to provide access to many different carriers, routes, and modes of transport at competitive prices. To stay competitive, 3PL providers will continue to evolve, and innovation and technology will play a key part in their success. BlueGrace is exploding with growth, and Chicago is the epicenter of the 3PL community, so it is only natural that we significantly increase our investment in human resources in this city and make a long-term commitment to the area.”

BlueGrace plans on hiring 80 new employees to fill the Chicago office in the next 12 months. These sales professionals will support the company’s operations nationwide. The company is headquartered in Tampa, Florida and has 10 regional offices across the United States.

About BlueGrace Logistics:

Founded in 2009, BlueGrace Logistics is one of the largest third-party logistics (3PL) providers in the United States. With over 500 employees and working with over 10,000 customers to provide successful shipping solutions, the company has achieved explosive growth in its nearly 10-year operating history. Backed by a $255 million investment by private equity firm Warburg Pincus, the company operates 11 locations nationwide, and its headquarters are in the sunny Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Trucking is arguably one of the most vital jobs in the United States. When you consider that 70 percent of the freight that moves through the country is transported by trucks, the trucking industry is the backbone that holds the U.S. upright. As important as trucking is, however, it would be nothing without a strong running supply chain. Manufacturers need a constant stream of materials and resources to produce goods and retailers and other companies need a constant stream of deliveries in order for their business to operate.

“The U.S. supply chain economy is large and distinct. It represents the industries that sell to businesses and the government, as opposed to business-to-consumer (B2C) industries that sell for personal consumption,” the Harvard Business Review says. Much the same way that the trucking industry keeps many U.S. citizens employed, the U.S. supply chain industry accounts for 37 percent of all jobs in the country, employing approximately 44 million people. Interestingly enough, these jobs also pay significantly more than a number of professions and are largely responsible for bursts of innovation within the economy.

“The intensity of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) jobs, a proxy for innovation potential, is almost five times higher in the supply chain economy than in the B2C economy. Patenting is also highly concentrated in supply chain industries,” HBR adds.

It’s the supply chain that links so many different industries and companies together.

So what is it that makes the supply chain industry pay so well and be responsible for such innovation? It might just be the fact that it’s the supply chain that links so many different industries and companies together.

The Importance of Supply Chain Services

As we mentioned above, the trucking, manufacturing and retail industries rely heavily on supply chain services to function and survive in today’s economy. With a heavy focus on lean manufacturing, many companies simply can’t afford to have extra products or parts lying around – there needs to be a constant influx, giving these companies what they need precisely when they need it. But it doesn’t explain why it stands out from other sources of employment. To that, Mercedes Delgado, a research director and scientist of MIT and Karen Mills, senior fellow of Harvard Business School, have taken a look at the categorization of employment and made an interesting discovery when it comes to the supply chain. “Only 10% of employment in the economy is in manufacturing, and 90% is in services. It is commonly thought that most of those service jobs are low-wage occupations at restaurants or retail stores, while the manufacturing jobs have higher wages. But not all services are the same.” – Delgado and Mills stated in the recent HBR article. “With our new categorization, we can separate supply chain service jobs – which are higher-paying – from the Main Street service jobs that tend to be lower paying. These supply chain service jobs include many different labor occupations, from operation managers to computer programmers, to truck drivers. They comprise about 80% of supply chain employment, with an average annual wage of $63,000, and are growing rapidly,” they added.

On average, these jobs pay about three times more and have 18x the STEM intensity over Main Street services, and the job market is growing fast.

Through their work, they’ve also uncovered a subcategory of the supply chain industry which is traded services. These services are traded and sold across many different fields such as engineering, design, software publishing, logistics services and many others. This subcategory, in particular, showed some of the highest wages and STEM concentration of the entire economy. On average, these jobs pay about three times more and have 18x the STEM intensity over Main Street services, and the job market is growing fast.

“Our supply chain economy framework leads to a more optimistic view of the economy. If we were to focus on supporting supply chain services, particularly those in traded industries, the result might be more innovation and more well-paying jobs in the United States.”

How Does this New Category Affect Policy?

While it might not seem like an important find, this new categorization is actually very important, especially when it relates to U.S. economic policies. For starters, there needs to be a heavier investment in skilled labor. While the supply chain industry has the majority of STEM workers already on the payroll, there is a shortage in America in general. This makes it hard for both sides to continue the level of growth and innovation. Many companies already have a hard time finding the necessary talent to keep them moving forward.

Supply chain industries are even more at risk since continuous innovation not only needs new talent but the ability to retain existing talent.

Supply chain industries are even more at risk since continuous innovation not only needs new talent but the ability to retain existing talent.The second point from Delgado and Mills is that we need to support regional industry clusters. “Suppliers produce inputs for businesses, and therefore, they particularly benefit from being co-located with their buyers in industry clusters. Catalyzing and strengthening organizations that support regional clusters is one way to promote buyer-supplier collaboration.”

Finally, it’s a matter of making sure that supply chain service providers have access to the necessary funds to continue their work. Many of the products and services that they create are things that can’t be patented which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to continue generating the necessary capital. Having government policies in place that would guarantee loans or credit support for suppliers would go a long way to ensuring stability and funding for these service providers to start and grow.

The supply chain is a very large industry within the United States and one with the potential for some dynamic growth. Supply chain service providers play a crucial role in not only ensuring that other industries are able to function but also provide the necessary access to these resources that will help this new category of the industry to grow and the American economy as a whole.

Are you part of the supply chain talent pool?

Are you eager to work with a company that helps simplify businesses across the USA? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment when you can cut costs for a customer? If so CLICK HERE to see all the positions available throughout the country at BlueGrace. We are constantly awarded a best place to work and love to see our employees succeed!